1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card connector apparatus having a locking mechanism for locking a slider for transporting a compact memory card or the like, that is, an information card, to a predetermined card mounting position.
2. Description of Related Art
In the related art, a card connector apparatus of this type includes a slider movable in a direction of travel of a compact memory card, an ejection spring for urging the slider in a direction of ejection of the compact memory card, and a locking mechanism for locking the slider at a predetermined card mounting position against an urging force of the ejection spring. The locking mechanism includes, for example, a heart shaped cam groove formed on a housing, a latch-pin, which is a locking member provided on the slider and is capable of sliding along the heart-shaped cam groove, and the like.
Such a structure may include a recess formed at a side edge of the compact memory card and a resilient strip formed projectingly on the slider portion, which is capable of opposing the recess. When the compact memory card is inserted through an insertion port, the resilient strip on the slider engages the recess on the compact memory card, thereby holding the compact memory card on the slider.
In order to enable insertion and removal of the compact memory card at the insertion port by manual operation, there is provided the above-described resilient strip, which may easily be engaged with and released from the recess on the side edge on the compact memory card in association with insertion and ejection of the compact memory card.
In the related art described above, since the compact memory card is held at the predetermined card mounting position via the resilient strip, which may be bent to a certain degree, when the compact memory card projecting from the insertion port is pulled by force, the resilient strip may be bent and thus the compact memory card may be forcedly removed.
In order to cope with such an anxiety, it is conceivable to provide a stiff projection on the slider and allow the projection to engage the recess on the compact memory card, so that the stiff projection can prevent movement of the compact memory card when an attempt is made to remove the compact memory card by force.
However, in such an arrangement, when an attempt is made to pull out the compact memory card by a strong force, the strong force is transmitted to the slider via the projection and hence to the locking mechanism. As a consequence, the locking mechanism may be broken or become damaged. For example, if the locking mechanism includes a heart-shaped cam groove and a latch-pin as described above, the latch-pin may be broken or the locked portion of the heart-shaped cam groove, to which the latch-pin is locked, may become damaged.
In view of the circumstances in the related art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a card connector apparatus in which the card placed at the predetermined mounting position may be prevented from being removed by force, and a force exerted when trying to pull the card out by force may be prevented from being transmitted to the locking mechanism.
In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a construction including a slider that is movable in a direction of travel of a card, an ejection spring for urging the slider in a direction of ejection of the card, a locking mechanism that locks the slider to a predetermined card mounting position against an urging force of the ejection spring, an engaging member formed on the slider for engaging the card so as to hold the card at the predetermined card mounting position, a fixed portion with which the engaging member engages after being displaced when an attempt is made to move the card in the direction of ejection in a state in which the card is held at the predetermined card mounting position by the engaging member, and the fixed portion being provided on a member other than the slider.
According to the present invention in this arrangement, when an attempt is made to pull out the card by force in a state in which the card is held at the predetermined card mounting position, the engaging member on the slider engages the fixed portion by a pulling force that moves the card in the direction of ejection. Such engagement between the engaging member and the fixed portion may prevent movement of the card in the direction of ejection, that is, forced removal. A force exerted when trying to pull the card out by force in this case is mainly transmitted to the fixed portion provided on the member other than the slider via the engaging member. Therefore, the force may be prevented from being transmitted from the engaging member through the slider to the locking mechanism.
The invention described above may have a construction in which the above-described locking mechanism is provided on the heart-shaped cam groove and on the slider, and a locking member that is slidable along the heart-shaped cam groove is provided.
In this arrangement, a locking mechanism and an unlocking performance of the locking mechanism that are relatively simple in structure and stable may be secured.
In the invention, a construction in which the engaging member includes a leaf spring having a projection that is fitted into a recess formed at a side edge of the card is also applicable.
In this arrangement, when an attempt is made to remove the card by force, the leaf spring engages the fixed portion while being bent. As a consequent, prevention of forced removal and constraint of transmission of a pulling force to the locking mechanism via the slider may be achieved.
In the invention, the basic configuration of the projection may be a triangular shape.
In this arrangement, when an attempt is made to pull out the card when the card is held at the predetermined mounting position, the portion positioned backside of the triangular projection is bent by a pressure exerted by the card, and the leaf spring having the projection reliably engages the fixed portion, which contributes to prevention of forced removal of the card and constraint of transmission of the force to pull out the card by force to the locking mechanism.
In the invention described above, an abutting portion that can abut against the projection of the leaf spring when the leaf spring engages the fixed portion may be provided, and the configuration of the abutting portion may be formed into a shape corresponding to the triangular shape of the projection.
In this construction, when the leaf spring engages the fixed portion, the abutting portion abuts against the projection of the leaf spring, and the abutting portion can prevent resilient deformation of the projection of the leaf spring more than necessary. In other words, the portion including the leaf spring and the abutting portion works as a structure having stiffness at the timing when the leaf spring engages the fixed portion, and thus movement of the card in the direction of ejection may be perfectly prevented.
In the invention described above, a construction in which the abutting portion is provided on the slider may be applied.
In this arrangement, the abutting portion to be abutted against the projection of the leaf spring may be formed simultaneously when manufacturing the slider.
In the invention, a construction in which a unit for supporting the slider so as to be capable of swinging motion in a state in which the card is ejected may be applied.
In this arrangement, constraint of movement of the card by the projection of the leaf spring provided on the slider is released by a swinging motion of the slider at the ejected position and thus ordinary operation of pulling out the card may be performed smoothly.
In the invention, a construction in which the fixed portion is provided on a housing that holds a terminal member with which a contact portion of the card comes into contact may be applied.
In this arrangement, the fixed portion with which the engaging member provided on the slider can engage may be manufactured simultaneously with fabrication of the housing including the terminal member.
In the invention described above, a construction in which the fixed portion is formed on a cover that covers the slider may be applied.
In this arrangement, the fixed portion may be manufactured simultaneously when manufacturing the cover.